A world of theatrical adventure

“These are top-notch companies that we haven’t seen in Albuquerque,” says organizer Kevin Elder. “It’s our goal to collaborate culturally. These are people thousands of miles away from us who are distinct in their ways of life, in their ways of creating theater, yet we see the lines of connection. Culturally we are the same and so different.”

Audiences will find theatrical adventures through the icy regions of Greenland with a company from Denmark, a comedic look at war from a troupe from Mexico, a view of relationships from behind masks with performers from Switzerland and Italy and a puppet show from Poland. Actors from Australia, Santa Fe, Tricklock and more round out the festival’s dozens of performances.

	If you go WHAT: Revolutions International Theatre Festival WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 15- Feb. 3 WHERE: Performance spaces at the University of New Mexico, the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 Fourth SW, and the Tricklock Performance Laboratory, 110 Gold SW HOW MUCH: Passports for four performances, $78 general admission, $60, students. Passports for eight shows, $157 general and $119 students. Tickets for individual performances at each venue, from $15 to $23. Reservations required. Opening reception and preview, Tuesday, Jan. 15, at ArtBar, 119 Gold SW, $20, 7-8:30 p.m., free entry after 8:30 p.m. Visit www.tricklock.com for schedule and tickets

“These are intimate performances, where you can see the actors sweat,” Elder says. “In larger theater spaces that intimacy can be lost. In our culture, it’s easy to become disconnected. Tricklock keeps our performances intimate, so the audience has an opportunity of connecting with the artist.”

The festival, now in its 13th year, features performers and actors that Tricklock’s touring company has interacted with in other festivals and also companies that apply to perform in Albuquerque, he says.

Teatret OM of Denmark presents “79 Fjord,” at 8 p.m. Jan. 23-25 in the National Hispanic Cultural Center ballroom, on an igloo stage. The performance, inspired by a 1907 Denmark expedition to map the unknown coast of Greenland, explores the adventures of the three-man crew into the cruel world of ice.

“I’m sure that Albuquerque has not seen a performance in an igloo,” Elder says of the family-friendly production.

Another all-ages performance, by Teatr Figur Krakow of Poland is “Artistic Handicraft,” in the Bank of America Theater at the NHCC, at 8 p.m. Feb. 1 and 2 p.m. Feb. 2. The entire story is told with the actors’ hands and arms gloved in white, while their bodies, clothed in black, remain mostly invisible to the audience. The company has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in Moscow and Asia, Elder says.

“Guerra: A Clown Play,” by La Piara of Mexico City, tells the story of war’s inhumanity through clowns in three languages. The satire, at 8 p.m. Jan. 17-18 and 6 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Journal Theatre at the NHCC, climaxes with a paper plane bombardment, Elder says.

“Sehnsucht,” by Perpetuo Mobile Teatro of Italy and Switzerland is a physical performance set to live music by masked actors, who explore the struggles of love. Performances are at 10 p.m. Feb. 1, 8 p.m. Feb. 2 and 2 p.m. Feb. 3 at UNM’s Theater X.